A SCHOOL in New Addington has been praised for its "determination" to improve after it was catapulted out of special measures by Ofsted.

The Advertiser reported last week how Good Shepherd Primary in Dunley Drive was hopeful of an improved grade after being deemed "inadequate" in its last inspection.

Staff and pupils are now celebrating after the school was rated "satisfactory" by the school's watchdog, in the newly published report, following an inspection three weeks ago.

Ofsted inspector John Kennedy said the school had come a "long way" since its last report in March 2009 and remarked the staff had a "common determination" to keep the standards up.

He praised the improved quality of teaching and said pupils now benefited from a broad and balanced curriculum which was helping to boost their grades.

The school has been given ideas on how to improve further which include ensuring the teaching is consistently good and linking IT lessons with other subjects.

Head teacher Anne-Marie Strachan says she now hopes to take the school on a new journey by tailoring the curriculum to pupils' needs and by forging links with international schools, including ones in Nigeria.

She added: "The school has the capacity to be outstanding. Now it's all about looking carefully at what to focus on to move the school in the right direction so everything is consistently of a high standard."

Ms Strachan puts the success down to the hard work of the staff and pupils who have embraced new ways of teaching.

"I feel really satisfied," she said. "Everybody has really come together and put so much effort in so I feel it was the right decision and the right time to take us out of special measures.

She added: "It's been a big achievement to bring the community together with one common goal, which has been to give the pupils an excellent education.

"Our pupils just love learning and they're a pleasure to teach.

"They're the reason we're where we are now."

Ofsted rates schools' attainment and ability to improve as either outstanding, good, adequate or inadequate – which leads to "special measures" and regular monitoring and support.

Good Shepherd has become a "rapidly improving school" since its last full inspection when concerns were raised about pupils' low grades and poor teaching.

The school, which caters for 171 pupils aged three to 11, entered into a federation with Coloma Convent Girls School last April to help improve its standards.